National Budget for 7.24.07

Monday

Jul 23, 2007 at 12:01 AMJul 23, 2007 at 11:20 PM

National Budget for 7.24.07

Jean Hodges, National Editor

GateHouse News Service National Budget

For 7.24.07 editions

Here are the top national stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/. Please submit stories below no later than 6 pm local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly.

SODA KILLS - One of the key doctors in world-renowned Framingham Heart Study reports that drinking one or more soft drinks per day increases your risk of heart disease. MetroWest Daily News, Lord, 15 inches, 6 p.m.
With photo

CHURCH COLLAPSE. (A Baptist church that was being built in South Pekin collapsed this morning. We don't believe anyone was injured. Efforting details. HILYARD./PEORIA/moving this evening/category: Illinois

DEATH THREAT EMAIL – You will be "asserinated". Death threat e-mail scam is latest preying on vulnerable elderly (and the English language). Norwich Bulletin, Smith, 10 inches, on wire now

Business

MID YEAR CHRYSLER PRODUCTION: At the halfway point of the first year Chrysler’s renovated plant is turning out three vehicles workers at the 3.9-million-square-foot operation are on track to assemble a record number of vehicles. June’s production total of 33,344 Dodge Calibers, Jeep Compasses and Jeep Patriots was the highest single month ever and the plant is on track to assemble more than 355,000. ALEX GARY/Rockford Register Star, 750-900 words, to be posted late Monday night
GRAPHICS: Sales vs. production charts for Caliber, Compass and
BREAKOUTS: Top 10 production months dating back to the beginning of the Omni-Horizon era
ROCKFORD/early evening/categories: Business and Illinois News

MASS. MARKET - Macy’s execs are being reminded the hard way that a company needs to grow its revenues, too, if it is going to enjoy long-term success. The Patriot Ledger, Chesto, 15 inches, on wire now

Sports

**SEE SEPARATE BARRY BONDS BUDGET

NADEL COLUMN – The state of the Cubs and an NBA referee accused of fixing games were among the subjects explored this week in Nadel’s blog. NADEL / In / Sports Columns Nadel.

THE BECKHAM DEBACLE - The league is so focused on promoting Mr. Beckham, leading to so many ridiculous "Will he save soccer in America?" stories, that it's losing focus on what MLS should be promoting - and that's Major League Soccer. The MetroWest Daily News, Biglin, 20 inches, on wire now

CUBS — Off-day story. Taking a look at the rest of the NL Central. VORVA

Opinions

VRABEL COLUMN -- Have you ever been stuck in line somewhere behind a hypercaffeinated 11-year-old? They are astonishing creatures, boppy and boingy and like little fizzy hobbits, except hobbits will, at occasional intervals, cease talking for a second to breathe in, because otherwise they'll keel over and turn purple. 11-year-olds do not have this physiological concern. They don't stop on regular days, and they don't stop while waiting for the last and final Harry Potter book at 10:30 on a Friday night. This is where I find myself behind an 11-year-old, and I am not just saying this here because she's slaughtering me at Harry Potter trivia. VRABEL / In / Opinions Vrabel
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BLUNDO COLUMN -- So, the last Harry Potter book arrived at last, and fans of the series have learned of the shocking conclusion in which Harry and Lord Voldemort – OK, I'm not going to ruin it for you here, mainly because I filed this column before the book came out. But mourn not, ye fans of the boy wizard, because the series might not be over. As recently reported by Reuters, in a TV interview author J.K. Rowling left open a tiny sliver of a possibility that she'd return to the Potter saga years down the road. With the cash cow the books have been for publishers and movie producers, you can bet they'll be putting the screws to Rowling to squeeze out another one faster than you can say "Jaws 2." BLUNDO / In / Entertainment/ Opinions Blundo
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BONDS EDITORIAL – Soon one of baseball’s most hallowed milestones – Hank Aaron’s home run record – could be broken by someone whose name will not appear in this editorial because the evidence is persuasive that he doesn’t deserve the recognition. PEORIA / In / Opinions-Editorials

DEMENTIA -- Dementia can torment a family for generations. That's why millions have their eyes on dementia research. The number of dementia patients in the United States could more than triple by the middle of the 21st century. The Alzheimer's Association estimates there are more than 5 million Americans living with dementia. The organization estimates it could reach 7.7 million by 2030 and as many as 16 million by mid-century. "It's a major, major crisis," said Nikki Vulgaris, executive director of the Central Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. PEORIA
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Coming tomorrow

SIMPSONS FOOD – Feature on the food of the Simpsons, gearing up to the movie. QUINCY
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